Bengali Food

Bengali
cuisine is appreciated for its fabulous use of panchphoron, a term used
to refer to the five essential spices, namely mustard, fenugreek seed,
cumin seed, aniseed, and black cumin seed. The specialty of Bengali food
lies in the perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavors. For Bengalis, food
is one of the most essential aspects of their day to day lives. Ladies
spend lot of time in the kitchen cooking delicious feast for the family.

The staple food of people in Bengal is rice and fish. A typical Bengali
needs to have fish in every meal; otherwise there is a feeling that the
meal is incomplete. There is an ample stock of fish in every household,
because fish is cooked frequently, almost on a daily basis. Even the
Brahmin Bengalis relish fish. Fish is a part of every festivity
celebration. To lend a distinctive flavor to the fish, it is deep fried
in mustard oil and then cooked in gravy.

Most of the cooking is done using mustard oil. Traditional Bengali food
always ends up with mishti and sweet curd. Bengali food is famous for
its mithais (sweets). The origin of typical Bengali sweets can be traced
back in the traditional household kitchens. The most popular Bengali
mithai is rasogolla, which is enjoyed by people all over the country.

When it comes to cooking fish, there are unlimited options. You can
either fry, or cook it with gravy. Some Bengalis prefer eating steamed
fish to avoid the intake of extra calories. Another great option is to
sauté the fish with curd. The fish market in Bengal is always
stocked with wide varieties of fish, the popular ones being salmon,
hilsa, bhekti, magur, carp, rui and prawns. To fully relish their meal,
Bengalis eat the food with their fingers. It is indeed quite exigent to
find authentic Bengali dishes outside the Bengali kitchen.